Photographic developing apparatus



Jan. 21, 1969 FLEISHER ET AL 3,422,741

PHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPING APPARATUS Sheet Filed June 4, 1965 INVENTORS Marv/n B. F leisher Ph/Y/b E. H/xon %0/4 9 Wu? ATTORNEY5 Jan. 21, 1969 M. B. FLEISHER ET AL 3,422,741

PHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPING APPARATUS Sheet Filed June 4, 1965 INVENTORS Marv/n B. Fla/Sher Phil/10 E. H/xon A'ITORNEYS" Sheet 3 of 3 98 INVENTORS Mar w'n B. F la is/rer Philip E. Hixon ATTORNEYS H2 I08 I00 Jan. 21, 1969 M. s. FLEISHER ET AL PHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPING APPARATUS 1 Filed June 4, 1965 United States atent O PHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPING APPARATUS Marvin B. Fleisher, Wantagh, and Philip E. Hixon, .lericho, N.Y., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Itelr Corporation, Lexington, Mass, a corporation of Delaware Filed June 4, 1965, Ser. No. 461,306

US. C]. 95-94 Int. Cl. G03d 3/12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for processing a strip of photographic The present invention relates to apparatus for processing a strip or roll of photographic film material and the like.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a photographic developing apparatus which can automatically process a photographic sheet of material by feedin the material through a treating process, such as developer solution, fixer solution, wash solution and the like, in a reliable and rapid manner, without injury to the film sheet or its delicate emulsion coatings.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a photographic film developing apparatus in which a continuous strip of film is fed between pairs of nip rollers in a substantially horizontal and straight line plane through the apparatus, and through a plurality of different treating stations in the apparatus in a continuous and rapid manner without causing any damage to the film.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a film developing apparatus that has a plurality of mating rollers through which the film is fed, which rollers can be rapidly replaced or removed so they can be readily cleaned if necessary.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a film developing apparatus in which the strip of film is fed in a substantially horizontal plane in a straight line path through a plurality of coacting rollers, and in which novel drive means or a novel means of rotating the pairs of rollers is provided.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a film developing apparatus in which mating pairs of nip rollers are driven by a double chain mechanism or means both chains of which are driven in the same direction.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a film developing apparatus provided with drive rollers which have spring loaded bearing means for snapping the rollers into place in the apparatus and in which rollers can be readily removed and cleaned or replaced from the apparatus by snapping the spring loaded bearing means in the opposite direction.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a photographic developing apparatus that has a minimum requirement for maintenance of the various pairs of rollers utilized in the apparatus, and which rollers can be readily dismantled and replaced with another roller without completely dismantling the apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a simple photographic developing apparatus which is reliable, and relatively inexpensive in its drive 3,422,741 Patented Jan. 21, 1969 parts, and in which the parts utilized are standard and interchangeable, and do not require any unusual and complicated parts.

Various other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the developing apparatus embodied in the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view illustrating the slot or passage through which the strip of film passes.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the spring bearing means side of the apparatus.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the apparatus illustrating the drive means side.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged detail view taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged detail view taken along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged detail view taken along the line 7--7 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 99 of FIGURE 10, and

FIGURE 10 is a detailed view of the roller end for receiving the ball socket of the spring bearing means.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 generally designates a photographic developing machine or apparatus having a front or inlet end 12 and a rear or exit end 14.

The apparatus is provided with a spindle or spring loaded bearing side 16 having a vertical side wall 18 and a drive sprocket side 20 having a vertical side wall 22.

The apparatus is provided with a plurality of vertically disposed partition members 24, 26 and 28 extending transve sely of the longitudinally extending side walls 18 and 22 so that a series of processing stations or compartments 3t), 32, and 34 are provided in the apparatus. The processing or treating station 30 is preferably a developer station While the station 32 is a fixer station, and the station 34 is a washer station. The following compartments are an additional washer station followed by dryer stations. It is, of course, realized that these different stations are given by way of example and that the apparatus can have any type of processing station desired therein.

Referring to FIGURE 2, it will be seen that a substantially horizontal slot or passageway 36 is provided in each of the end walls of the apparatus and the partitions so that a strip of film material 38 indicated in FIGURE 1 can be readily passed through the plurality of slots in order to be treated in the various stations, and so that it can further be readily passed from one processing station to the next and out of the rear end of the machine.

The slots are all disposed in horizontal alignment with each other so that the process utilized in the present apparatus is a straight line travel path for the strip of film material 38 being processed.

Each processing station is provided with a pair of mating or coacting rollers adjacent their inlet and another pair of coacting rollers adjacent their outlets which act as nip rollers to pull or feed the strip of film material 38 through the processing stations or compartments. The rollers also serve as barriers to prevent treating solutions leaving their respective compartments. The rollers are identical to each other and consist of an upper roller 40 and a lower roller 42. The surface of the rollers is preferably of a resilient material such as rubber or a synthetic material that will not damage the film as it is pulled between the rollers. Referring to FIGURES 5 and 6, it will be noted that the spacing between the rollers is predetermined so as to be able to thread the film strip therethrough. Referring to FIGURE 1, the treating station 30 is provided with a pair or set of inlet rollers 44 and a pair or set of exit rollers 46 between which is disposed an applicator member 48 that provides a surface for supporting the strip of film as it passes between the inlet rollers 44 and the exit rollers 46.

The treating station or compartment 32 is provided with a pair of inlet rollers 50 and a pair of exit rollers 52 and has an applicator 54 therein.

The compartment 34 is provided with a pair of inlet rollers 56 and a pair of exit rollers 58 and a middle pair of rollers 60' with the usual applicators.

The rear compartment or treating station 62 between the partition 28 and the rear end of the apparatus is provided with a first pair of inlet rollers and a second pair of inlet rollers 64 and 66, respectively, and thereafter has the usual applicator for introducing a liquid solution into the compartment, after which is disposed a pair of middle rollers 68. Another applicator is provided in this compartment adjacent the middle rollers 68 and a pair of exit rollers 70 are provided adjacent the rear end of the compartment.

Each of the rollers has a reduced or necked down portion 72 as best seen in FIGURES and 6, for attaching the end of the roller to a drive means generally designated 74. It will be noted that the reduced roller portion 72 is provided with a diametrical slot 76 extending through the end thereof adapted to receive the pin 78 of a ball socket 80 on the end of a spindle or stub shaft 82. The ball 80 snaps into a resilient complementary hemispherical recess or socket 84 in the portion 72 of the roller. The pin 78 will cause the stub axle 82 to drive or rotate the roller.

The stub axle 82 is journalled in a nylon bushing 86 which extends through the vertical side of the apparatus as best shown in FIGURES 5 and 6. The upper surface of the stub axle 82 is flat as indicated at 88 so that chain sprockets 90 may be disposed on the stub axle 82 and will cause the axle or shaft to rotate when driven by chain belts 92 and 94.

It will be noted that the chain belts 92 and 94 are of the endless type and form a double chain driven from the same shaft and in the same direction. The direction of rotation of the chain belt is indicated by the arrows in FIGURE 4. The chain belts 92 and 94 are carried by the sprocket wheels so that the sprocket wheels forming a pair, for example, the upper roller 40 and the lower roller 42, will be driven in the direction indicated by the arrows in FIGURE 4 so as to pull or thread the strip of film material through the apparatus.

Referring to FIGURES 4 and 5 it will be seen that the lower roller 42 and its sprocket wheel 90 is disposed on the machine so that the sprocket wheel 90 will be carried by the lower portion of the inner endless chain 92. It will also be noted that the upper roller 40 is operatively connected to the sprocket wheel 90 and the sprocket wheel 90 connected to the upper roller 40 is disposed outwardly of the lower sprocket wheel 90 so that the upper roller 40 is driven by the chain belt 94 and in the direction indicated in the arrows in FIGURE 4, with the FIGURE 5 indicating the direction of rotation of the rollers 50 therein.

Referring to FIGURES 4 and 6, it will be noted that the pair of rollers 52 are disposed on the respective stub shafts or axles in a reverse direction with respect to the positioning of the sprocket wheels on the rollers described in connection with FIGURE 5. In this case it will be noted that the lower sprocket wheel 90 which drives the lower roller 42 is disposed outwardly of the upper sprocket wheel 90 which drives the upper roller 40, or in other words the drive of the pair of rollers 52 is reversed with respect to the drive of the rollers described in connection with FIGURE 5 and the pair of rollers 50. The outermost sprocket Wheel 90 is placed or positioned outwardly of the innermost sprocket 90 by the use of nylon spacer members 96 as best seen in FIGURES 5 and 6. The lower of the pair of rollers 52 is disposed on the stub axle 82 so as to be driven by the sprocket chain 94 While the upper sprocket wheel is disposed on the upper axle 82 so as to be driven by the sprocket chain 92 and the direction of rotation of the chain and the sprocket wheels is indicated by the arrows in FIGURE 4.

Referring to FIGURE 7, there is illustrated therein the structure or construction of the opposite end of all of the rollers in the apparatus. This end of the rollers also has a reduced or necked down portion 98 in the end of Which is disposed a core or nylon socket 100 adapted to receive the ball joint 102 of the spring loaded bearing means generally indicated as 104.

The spring loaded bearing means of the present invention permits the individual rollers to be snapped into place and to be readily detached from the apparatus when necessary for cleaning or for replacement. The ball 102 snaps into a recess in the core 100 which is readily deformable by the ball joint. The ball is disposed on a spindle 106 which extends through an opening 108 in a cylindrical housing or casing 110. The casing 110 extends through the vertical side 18 of the apparatus and has a spring 112 disposed therein and mounted around the spindle 106. A collar 114 is fixed on the inner end of the spindle 106 and a retainer ring 116 is fixed on the inner surface of the housing 110 so that the spring normally biases or urges the collar 114 and the ball 102 to its innermost position, as indicated in solid lines in FIGURE 7, at which time the roller 40 is properly attached to the apparatus for rotation thereof by the drive mechanism already de scribed.

When it is desired to remove a roller from the apparatus it is only necessary to force or push the roller 40 in a direction toward the left, when looking at FIGURE 7, to the position indicated by dotted lines, so as to overcome the force of the biasing spring. Thereafter, the right end of the roller may be readily removed from the drive stub axle 82 and the roller 40 is then pulled to the right so that the ball 102 comes out of the core 100. Thus, the rollers can be readily attached and detached as desired.

In operation, when it is desire-d to process a strip of film 38 as indicated in FIGURE 1, the drive mechanism, not shown, for the plurality of sprocket wheels to which the drive rollers 40 and 42 are attached, is put into operation and the strip of film 38 is threaded through the plurality of horizontal slots or passages 36 as shown in FIGURE 2 and between each pair of rollers passing through the various treating stations. Depending upon the positioning of the sprocket wheels as shown in FIG- URES 5 and 6, on their respective stub axles, the pairs of rollers can be rotated in the desired direction so that the nip rollers will thread or pull the strip of film through the apparatus.

Since the individual rollers are normally held in an operative position by an individual spring bearing means for each individual roller, it is readily observable that the individual rollers can be quickly snapped out of place and replaced with a new roller, or cleaned if desired.

Thus, the present invention provides a novel film processing apparatus with a novel double chain drive means that can be readily assembled to drive the individual rollers in a desired direction, and all of which parts can be readily detached and reassambled by unskilled labor.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may :be made in the form, details and arrangements of the parts without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A film developing apparatus comprising in combination:

(a) a plurality of treating stations,

(b) film passage means in each of said stations for passing a strip of film material therethrough,

(c) a plurality of stub axles,

(d) a sprocket wheel connected to each of said stub axles,

(e) at least one pair of coacting rollers in each station for threading a strip of film therethrough, each of said rollers detachably connected to one of said stub axles by a ball and socket joint,

(f) a spacer member disposed on one of said stub axles to position said sprocket wheels out of vertical alignment with each other; and

(g) double chain drive means connected with said sprocket wheels for rotating said rollers in opposite directions.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said ball and socket joints has a slot adapted to receive a pin to lock said joints.

3. A film developing apparatus comprising in combination:

(a) a plurality of treating stations,

(b) film passage means in each of said stations for passing a strip of film material therethrough,

(c) at least one pair of coacting rollers in each station for threading a strip of film therethrough,

(d) drive means for rotating said rollers in opposite directions; and

(e) spring bearing means for each roller for detachably connecting each roller to said drive means, said spring bearing means comprising a housing with a spindle therein, said spindle having a ball at one end, a socket adapted to receive said ball attached to said roller, and biasing means for urging said ball into said socket.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said housing is cylindrical, said spindle has -a collar, said biasing means is spring mounted on said spindle with one end bearing against said collar, and a retainer ring is disposed in said housing bearing against the outer end of said spring.

5. In a film developing apparatus having side walls, a pair of transversely extending coacting rollers, said rollers being disposed in vertical alignment with each other for threading a strip of film material therebetween, each of said coacting rollers being provided with a spring bearing member carried in one of said side walls including a cylindrical housing with a spindle extending therethrough, a collar on said spindle, a retainer ring attached to said housing, a spring mounted in said housing on said spindle between said retainer and collar, a ball on said spindle, and each roller having a resilient socket for receiving said ball therein, means for driving each of said pairs of rollers comprising a stub axle for each roller, a sprocket wheel mounted on each axle for driving a roller, a separate chain belt drive for each of said sprocket Wheels for rotating them, said sprocket wheels being disposed out of vertical alignment with each other, and said chain belts being disposed adjacent each other to form a pair of symmetrical chain belt drives and said chain belts being rotated in the same direction, whereby said coacting rollers are turned in opposite directions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 694,116 2/1902 Smith -94 2,889,762 6/1959 Taubes 9594 3,142,241 7/ 1964 Limberger 95--89 3,226,111 12/1965 Ellis 95-89 3,287,013 11/1966 Fairbanks et a1 95-94 FOREIGN PATENTS 943,653 12/ 1963 Great Britain.

NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner. FRED L. BRAUN, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

